Football pundit Michael Stewart has expressed concern over Rangers defender Robin Propper’s adjustment to the Scottish Premiership, describing the situation as a “red flag” for the Glasgow club.
Propper, 31, recently admitted to Dutch outlet Voetbalprimeur that adapting to the Premiership’s style—characterized by frequent long-ball tactics—has been a challenge after his experience in the Eredivisie.
The centre-back’s difficulties were highlighted during Rangers’ 1-0 victory over St Johnstone at McDiarmid Park on 1 December, a match won through Jason Holt’s own goal. Propper was substituted at halftime, mirroring his early exit against Kilmarnock earlier in the season.
Speaking on The Scottish Football Social Club on 2 December, Stewart didn’t hold back in his assessment. “What about Propper? Like in the Killie game, you could almost tell in the first half he wasn’t fancying it. Yesterday, again, off at half-time,” Stewart remarked.
Referencing Propper’s comments about becoming a key player as the season progresses, Stewart added: “He’s been saying, ‘I’ll be one of the first names on the team sheet’ and talking about the long-ball approach. That’s a red flag. Any other team will see that and think, ‘He doesn’t fancy this domestically.’ They’ll know to press him, get at him, and put him on the back foot.”